Improvement in safety-pockets



attimi tant' i* @man i Weeaeeww JOSIAH FOSTER, OF SANDWICH, MASSACHUSETTS. Letters Patent No. 89,034, dated April 20, 1869.

INIPRO'VEMENT IN SAFETY-POCKETS.

To all whom 'it ana/y concern:

Be it known that I, J osIAH hos'rnn, of Sandwich,

' in the county of Barnstable, and State of Massachuskilled in the art to practise it.

All cities of -this country are more or less infested with pick-pockets, and the losses incurred through their operations have caused safety-pockets to be devised, such a pocket generally consisting of a flexible wire-work or chain-work lining, stitched into the garment around the pocket-forming cloth, suoli protective-lining preventing the pocket-from being eut open, and generally having some means for locking the month of the pock'et.

My invention relates to the construction of a safetypocket for garments; but instead of providing the pocket of a garment with flexible metallic net-work, I make a pocket, with a rigid metal case, which is so secured in place that it cannot be removed, except by breaking the stitches which hold the metallic pocket in place, or by tearing away the cloth, this case being provided with a hinged lid, having a locking-device, for securing it in closed position, and preferably, also, having one or. more hinged flaps at its front.

It is in this construction of a safety-pocket, that my invention consists. Y

The drawing represents a safety-pocket embodying my invention. l

Al showsa front view ofthe pocket, the cloth being eut away to disclose one-half of the metallic case.

B is a vertical section ofthe metallic case, or pocket lining.

a denotes the pocket in the garment.

b, the metallic case, which, being inserted in the pocket a, or between the outer and inner cloth of the garment, is fastened in place by stitches, which may pass through rings c, as seen at A.

' At the top of the case b is the lid d, hinged to the back piece of the case, as seen at c.

This lid is provided with a sliding catch, f, the shank of which is drawn up into the lid by a suitable spring, g, thereby hooking the catch under a lip, h, as seen at B.

By drawing down the catch, by a ring, i, the catch is released from the lip 7i., to permit the lid to be raised.

To lock the catch in position, another ring, It, is fastened to the front piece of the box, in such position that, by turning it up against the front piece, it is brought under the catch, as seen at B, so as to prevent the catch from` being drawn down, except by throwing out the ring.

When the lid is raised, the upper part of the box is so exposed as to enable a pocket-book or papers to be readily taken from the pocket by the wearer of the garment; but when closed, it will be obvious that the case forrnsa perfect protection `to the contents of the pocket against the operations of pick-pockets.

lo facilitate the extraction of papers when the case is opened, the front may be provided with one or more hinged flaps, l, which, being pressed outwardly, enable the hand to be introduced into the case, or the papers to be brought into accessible position for removal therefrom.

I claim, in combination with the lid el, the springcatch f, lip 7l., and locking-ring lo, substantially as described.

Also, in combination with the case b, and its lid d, the hinged front flaps, or a flap, l, substantially as described.

- JOSIAH FOSTER.l Witnesses:

J. S. BAssET'r, ROBERT TOBEY. 

